At Adaptive Materials' complex in Pittsfield Township, the floor provides an eerie reminder of Michigan's manufacturing heritage - and what happens when an industry undergoes a revolution.

When the fuel cell energy company moved into its 47,000-square-foot building just off of South State Street, company officials immediately noticed that the workshop floor bore a fading logo of Johnson Controls, which once occupied the facility.

"We had the option to take that out, but we left it in," said chief visionary officer Aaron Crumm, who co-founded the company with Michelle Crumm, his wife.

Adaptive Materials Inc.

Co-founders: Husband and wife, Aaron and Michelle Crumm.Company capsule: Adaptive Materials is commercializing fuel cell technology that uses propane to improve portable power options for various applications.Why Business Review chose to honor Adaptive Materials: This fledging Pittsfield Township company is an emblem of how alternative energy solutions can be implemented now. All it took was some creative thinking: recognizing that half-liter-sized propane canisters used for camp stoves are cheaply available at retail stores throughout the world and provide a significant source of power. That realization has generated explosive growth and established the company as a beacon of how Michigan can leverage its manufacturing base and research expertise to provide new energy solutions.

"Two reasons: No. 1 is it's always good to remember that even the old stuff can become new again. And the other is it's a bit humbling to realize somebody even as big as Johnson Controls can downsize. We should never get too big for our britches, as they say."

Nonetheless, there's no reason for the company to be humble about its technology. Adaptive Materials is developing and commercializing solid oxide fuel cell technology that uses propane or butane fuel to provide power in mobile applications. The company has been selected as Michigan Business Review's Innovator of the Year.

The company's main market right now is the military, whose soldiers often are forced to carry up to 50 pounds in batteries for an extended-duration mission, Aaron said.
Adaptive Materials' technology allows commercially available 16.4-oz. propane canisters to be enlisted to power a soldier's electronics, for example, or even an unmanned aerial vehicle.

"They're very inexpensive, and they outlast a battery by a factor of seven. So one of these canisters replaces seven times its weight in batteries," Crumm said. "That's a significant savings for the soldier, and what gets them so excited about the applications."

The firm - which started in 2001 - now has about 65 employees. It had about 40 employees when it was awarded a $760,000 tax credit from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority in August 2007 and announced plans to add 100 jobs.

Adaptive Materials also received a $6.27 million low-cost loan from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.'s 21st Century Jobs Fund in fall 2006.

"It really helped us go from science-and-technology company to manufacturing company, and that's a huge challenge for companies to cross that chasm," Michelle Crumm said. "Crossing the chasm into manufacturing is very challenging. It's very expensive."

Michelle, who recently introduced U.S. Sen. Barack Obama at a political rally in Lansing, is optimistic that Michigan can leverage its manufacturing heritage to transition into a green economy.

"It is so exciting to be the hope for Michigan when you see what's going on with the automotive industry, for us to think that we are really making a difference," she said. "Alternative energy is Michigan's future. I think it's critical for (our) success."